The Trail Calls Again
Get ready for an incredible lineup of racers taking on the World’s Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race. The 2026 Iron Dog is shaping up to be a powerful mix of experience and new energy, with 30 teams gearing up for the challenge, including five past champions and a wave of fresh talent ready to make their mark on the trail.
This year’s field spans the major manufacturers, with 13 teams on Polaris, 14 teams on Ski-Doo, 1 team on Arctic Cat, and 2 teams on Lynx. Full Roster →
Across the 28 checkpoints that shape the course, Iron Dog continues to represent communities from all over Alaska, and this season includes racers who call places like Nome, Kotzebue, Noorvik, Kaltag, and McGrath home.
Father–Daughter Team Spotlight: Team 39 features Shane Barber and Shana Lapham of Willow, Alaska, on Polaris snowmachines.
Family stories are a big part of what makes Iron Dog special, and one of the standout storylines heading into 2026 comes from the Barber family. Shane Barber (Team 39) returns for his 20th Iron Dog, and for the first time, he’ll take on the race alongside his daughter Shana Lapham, making her Iron Dog debut. Shane’s son Evan Barber is also on the trail this year as part of Team 3, continuing the Barber family’s deep ties to the race. With their family involved since the very first Iron Dog in 1984, Shana and Evan now represent the third generation of Barbers to take on the Iron Dog trail. And the family’s recent success adds even more to the moment; Shane’s son Cody Barber, racing with Shana’s husband Brett Lapham, captured the 2024 Iron Dog championship together.
Looking back at 2025, Iron Dog once again delivered the kind of race where nothing comes easy. Trail and weather conditions kept teams adapting mile after mile, and the week brought its share of tough breaks: limited snow in sections, hard riding, and teams forced to withdraw due to injuries or mechanical setbacks. Veteran Daniel Thomas (Team 8) said the biggest challenge is what many racers underestimate: “the variation of trail and weather conditions you experience over the week of racing.” And even with experience, he noted that the approach keeps evolving. “They may call it a ‘race’, but that for sure doesn’t mean ‘as fast as you can at all times.’ It is a very long race that takes extreme pacing and control to get to the finish.”
At the same time, 2025 was also a reminder of what makes Iron Dog more than a competition. From start to finish, the race depends on the communities, checkpoints, and volunteers who keep teams moving forward across Alaska.
Looking ahead to 2026, teams know that preparation and decision-making will matter just as much as speed. Two-time champion Mike Morgan says the focus is simple: “Consistency is what wins the race,” which means keeping mistakes and mechanical issues to a minimum across the full course. He added that success comes down to managing the pace wisely: “There’s a fine line between pushing a hard pace and riding recklessly. The goal is to ride as fast as you can consistently while in full control.” Four-time champion Tyler Aklestad echoed that mindset, emphasizing mental toughness when things don’t go as planned: “You have to know things are going to happen unexpectedly, and you’ll just have to utilize some grit to get through those tough situations.
As the 2026 season unfolds, fans can expect a tight field, unforgettable storylines, and the same Iron Dog truth that never changes: you don’t win this race in the first miles, you earn it by staying steady through every mile after.
The trail will decide the rest.